Maison, French Brasserie located Midtown, NYC, New York

Maison is a brasserie located Midtown that is opened 24/7. Its decor is really impressive, between the high ceilings and the giant old ads. The place is of medium size, benefiting from the outside area that is perfect on a warm day.

It has ben a while I did not go there: at least since I started this blog! The last time was with our friends Diana and Peter, for brunch, and I had a succulent duck confit crepe that is not anymore on the menu.

We went for brunch and did not start that well as they kind of forgot us...The manager came and apologized, offering us some drinks; I just went for coffee (sorry, no bellini)! But we thought the service would be better once they realized we were there, unfortunately, it was not the case: it was the poorest service we had in a long time! And it was so unusual for that place.

Concerning the menu, you will find lots of basic dishes you would find in brasseries, although the restaurant features mainly specialties from Brittany, such as crepes, as well as standard brunch dishes such as eggs Benedict.

Jodi decided to try their Croque Monsieur, made with ham and beer marinated Swiss cheese:

Zafra's in Hoboken, NJ

The last time I went to Zafra's was in March this year. We went there few times before, but that time, it was to drink their hot chocolate with machica that was ranked number 15 of the best hot chocolate in the US! We tried it and it was delicious, however, we were out of luck because their fryer was not working and they could not prepare some of the dishes we wanted to order. 

So we decided to go back for a Sunday brunch! The place was crowded: normal, considering it is a very popular restaurant in Hoboken!

I love this colorful tiny place, that serves some delicious Cuban and Latin food crafted by Chef Maricel Presilla!

Of course, we started off with the hot chocolate:

It was fantastic! Not too sweet, it had this fantastic flavor that emanated from the cinnamon.

Then, we decided to start with arepitas con queso, small arepas with cheese:

We got three of them, served with creme fraiche and salsa. It was very good: I love the taste and texture of the corn flower. The cheese was probably queso blanco. It was a great, inexpensive appetizer, perfect for sharing.

Then, Jodi ordered the Carimañolas con Huevos or Yuca Cheese Croquettes with two fried eggs:

Brunch at The Smith in NYC, New York

We were looking for a place to have brunch before going to the Moma for the Magritte exhibit, and ended up at The Smith, on the Upper West Side. We reserved of course as each time we passed by the place, it was packed. Good move I would say! Yes, it was fairly crowded, outside and inside, and people kept coming in! 

I like the place: bright, it has an interesting decor, like a modern brasserie, but with some retro elements. This place is owned and operated by Jeffrey Lefcourt and Glenn Harris who also own and operate Jane on West Houston Street (always packed too!). 

As we sat, they brought us some bread (baguette), butter, as well as tap and sparkling water. I admit that it is the first time they brought free sparkling water in a restaurant!

So, we first ordered some beverages. Jodi got herself a tea from Steven...Smith (not sure if it was on purpose...). 

I ordered a double espresso. Good, but $7 was a bit pricey! Was there gold in it???

Then, our first appetizer came: hot potato chips with blue cheese fondue. 

We could not resist ordering it! Chips and blue cheese pair so well! But we did not foresee that it would be so big! For sure, they were not cheap on the blue cheese either and it was a fantastic start! It is definitely a dish I recommend!

Then, Jodi ordered the ranchero scramble, their take on Huevos rancheros.

Little Town NJ in Hoboken, NJ

For brunch, we decided to go to Little Town NJ, not the city in New Jersey, but the restaurant in Hoboken. Opened recently by the sons of the Manzo family who own the Brownstone, apparently an institution I did not get a chance to try. In fact, one of their dishes is the Brownstone Tenderloin.

The place is pretty big, with an impressive bar, solid wood tables and leather banquettes that give this place some warmth. 

In the back, they even have a game of skee ball!

But I admit that the noise of that game is not the most pleasurable to the ears, especially if you are looking for a nice and somewhat quiet brunch. 

We were there early and decided to order from the menu instead if waiting for their buffet to open. 

Jodi ordered the cranberry bog salad.

Brunch at Craftbar in NYC, New York

I have become a fan of Tom Colicchio: not for his personality on TV, but his food! We tried Colicchio and Sons and the famous TC Burger that is for me the best burger so far in New York City. So, last time, we were close to Union Square, trying to find a place for brunch and decided to try Craftbar as it was on my wish list of restaurants (trust me: it is a very long list). The place is gorgeous: high ceilings, dark wood with a gateway across the restaurant joining the wine cellar that you cannot miss.

Similar to Colicchio and Sons, although a bit industrial looking, there is this sense of space, modernity and warmth. 

For brunch, the menu offers pretty standard brunch dishes, but just reading their description, you know that it is different and you wish you could order everything! After a difficult time to make up our mind, we ordered our food. Jodi ordered the croque Madame:

Croque Madame is a croque Monsieur with a fried egg. It was served with mustard and pickles.

Sugar and Plumm in NYC, New York

For Jodi's Birthday, we went to Sugar and Plumm's location on the Upper West Side, the reason being that the last time we passed by that place, Jodi immediately noticed their coconut cake!!! So, it was Her day! 

The place is fun because it mainly caters to families and it definitely is not where one should go for a romantic dinner! If you really want to go there, but would like to avoid family crowds, it is better that you go after 2pm if not 3pm. 

When you enter Sugar and Plum, you will notice three areas:

The candy area on the right that is amazing! 

Not because if the regular candies by the pound they sell, that are pretty standard. 

But because of the ones made of chocolate, some if them being spectacular, like this red shoe (Jodi loved it!):

or a bottle of champagne:

In the center, various items:

Macarons

Sweet Revenge in the West Village, NYC, New York

Sweet Revenge: what an interesting name! It kind of make you think that what they serve is decadent and sinful. We went to that place many years ago, thanks to the recommendation of one of Jodi's friends and, roaming around West Village, we decided to go back, but not only for their cupcakes, also for brunch as we were curious to see what kind of food they propose on their menu.

This place is tiny, so if you are a large group, good luck! Otherwise, it has this type of atmosphere that makes you think it is an old place that is a hole in the wall, kind of secret and reserved to the cupcakes lovers. 

We ordered from the menu that proposes some traditional dishes, but with a twist, such as the Croque Monsieur Savory Cake!

I think it is a great idea to mix the two concepts: croque monsieur that is a pretty standard brunch dish and a cake, and I admit that the presentation was beautiful. The Croque Monsieur part was made of ham and jarlsberg cheese cake and was served with a delicious warm honey Dijon mustard. With it, there was mesclun greens, cranberries and chipotle pumpkin seeds. I wish I ordered it instead of Jodi! So good! But a bit small though! You definitely got the texture and taste of the cake that complemented well the saltiness of the ham and cheese. Great dish!

On my side, I ordered the Scotch Eggs:

A visit to the Brooklyn Museum: Brunch at Sunshine Co and treats at Joyce Bakeshop!

Jodi wanted to see the exhibit of John Singer Sargent at the Brooklyn Museum and we planned for few weeks to go with our friends Gary and Jen. So the rain did not stop us and we were certain to add to this artistic experience a culinary one, especially considering that more and more delicious restaurants are opening in Brooklyn! We did not pick in advance a place and just used our mobile phones to find out where to go. Unfortunately, the first two choices we had were not possible, because of the waiting time. Usually, we do not mind, but with the rain, waiting was a big no-no! That is how we found Sunshine Company! 

We immediately got a table! The place was nice with a rustic although modern feel, very bright thanks to the large windows going up to the high ceilings. 

Most of the items on the menu looked fantastic and it was a tough choice! I started anyway with a double espresso, my drink of choice for brunch...

Then, Jodi got the baked eggs:

The baked eggs were served with grilled zucchini, grilled eggplant, tomatoes and feta cheese, topped with some salad. It came with two slices of buttered bread.

The eggs were perfect: the yolk was slightly runny like I love it! I was even surprised to see Jodi eat them as she usually do not like runny yolks! Also, having all these vegetables made this dish very earthy. 

I decided to order the Tres Leches French Toast:

It looked fantastic and the French toast itself was good with the bread perfectly soaked. I just wished it has more tres leches taste, similar to the one at The cuban in Hoboken!

We definitely had good food and a good time at Sunshine Co and it was great that we found this little gem just walking desperately around!

Then, after the museum, we wanted to see if there was a bakery around. Same modus operandi to find a place: cell phones...And we ended up at Joyce Bakeshop!

It is a nice little place, perfect for a coffee in the afternoon to catch up with your long time friends. Their pastries looked delicious and very tempting and what I liked was the fact that they propose a large and a regular version of most of their cakes!

Gary and Jen had a Woopie pie and a black and white.

We ordered a chocolate chip cookie

and an almond and pear tart:

It looked better than it tasted! The almond and pear tart was dry as was the cookie, despite all the chocolate in it. The crust in the tart was a bit salty too: it definitely needed butter!

Look, we tried and you never know: sometimes you find great places just walking around, like the Sunshine Co!

Enjoy (I did)!

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And Remember: I Just Want To Eat!

A trip to Montreal - Part 6: French Patisserie Boulangerie O Gateries in Longueuil

Before reading this post, please note that, in accordance with the FTC guidelines, I must disclose that the meal was complimentary. However, the opinions expressed in my blog are 100% my own!

When my friend Malika came to New York, we told her that we were going to Montreal for a week end and she suggested to visit her friends Jean-Francois and Lise who own a Pastry shop in Longueuil, a suburb that is a few minutes from Montreal. 

Jean-Francois is a French pastry Chef who was trained by Les Compagnons du Devoir, a companionship that originated in the Middle Ages, during the construction of Cathedrals. The goal was to  teach and train very skilled workers during many years of apprenticeship. They then expanded to more traditional jobs. Being part of Les Compagnons du Devoir is not a small thing and not everybody can be part of it: you have to be dedicated, motivated and skilled. It is during his apprenticeship that Jean-Francois ended up in Canada, where he met Lise, and together, they opened O Gateries, that will celebrate 20 years this year, in July.

Besides talking about personal stuff with Jean-Francois and Lise, we spoke about being a boulanger - patissier and I could really sense a passion that I always like to find in people. One thing that I still remember that Jean-Francois said, was about technique: when making something, what matters is not the ingredients, but the technique. It makes sense, otherwise, each time I follow a recipe, I should have the same result as anybody, no? No.

To give you an idea of O Gateries, now: I was expecting a smaller place, but it was of a good size, with a terrace and a dining room. In fact, O Gateries is not only a bakery and pastry shop: it also does some catering (apparently their duck confit pie is a big hit) and serves meals. 

But, because of all the work, Jean-Francois decided to hand over part of the products he sells to local artisans: for the bread and the chocolates (at the exception of the truffles that he makes). This way, he can focus on making viennoiseries (croissants, chocolate croissants called in Canada "Chocolatines" and in France, "Pains au chocolat",...) and pastries. He tries to stay traditional and looking at the pastries, we saw the classic ones: eclairs au chocolat, mille feuilles, religieuses...

As we were there for breakfast, they proposed us to try few things. Jodi ordered the chocolatine or Chocolate croissant.

Brunch at Nizza in Hell's Kitchen - NYC, New York

I noticed Nizza few times while walking in Hell's Kitchen and always thought that it would be nice to try it. We ended up there really by chance as we originally wanted to go to another restaurant across the street, that, although we had a reservation, was closed when we arrived! 

It was early and the place was not that crowded. At first, I did not really think about it, but, after looking at the menu and one particular dish that I will describe later, I realized that Nizza means Nice in Italian. Nice is a city South of France, that is close to Italy, that I visited often when I was a kid, to see some Family. But, despite its French translation, Nizza is still an Italian restaurant that serves pizza, pasta...

The place is nice, yellow being the main pattern to the decor, with an amazing bar.

After we ordered, they brought us some delicious focaccia bread with olive oil.

The bread was light, airy and fresh. I could not stop dipping it in the olive oil!

Then, we shared the Gorgonzola crostini:

Lunch at Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar in NYC, New York

It has been a while since I wanted to go to Ayza Wine and Chocolate Bar; I was curious, probably because of the word Chocolate in the name.  I was imagining dishes made with chocolate like Seppi's, the restaurant that used to be at the Parker Meridien Hotel proposed in its Chocolate Brunch. I was wrong. Only desserts and drinks have this fantastic ingredient.

Anyway, we were there, one week day I was not working, so we could benefit from the lunch prix-fixe at $9.95. The place was nice and modern and the service courteous and efficient.

Before we started, they brought us some bread with some tapenade, a black olive spread that was delicious and not too salty.

I ate it with a sip of Coke...

Jodi decided to order a salad. She ordered the Italian Fruta Mista: